Health Issues

Dr. Jennifer S. Lerner is a Professor of Public Policy and Management at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and Co-founder of the Harvard Decision Science Laboratory. Drawing insights from psychology, economics, and neuroscience, her research examines human judgment and decision making. Read more about Decision Making Research Opportunity with Jennifer Lerner

The Research Program on Children and Global Adversity (RPCGA) at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) was established to advance an evidence base regarding strategies and methods for improving child health service delivery and increasing protections and effective services for children in adversity.

Description: We conduct research investigating the cognitive and neural basis of episodic memory—the ability to remember events from the personal past—and processes leading to memory distortions. We utilize cognitive and behavioral testing as well as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in healthy younger and older volunteers and individuals with clinical conditions known to affect memory processes, such as Alzheimer’s disease. Read more about The Cognitive and Neural Basis of Episodic Memory

In 2002, in collaboration with the International Rescue Committee, Dr. Betancourt, director of the FXB Center’s Research Program on Children and Global Adversity began a prospective longitudinal study (LWSAY) on children associated with armed conflict and armed groups (CAAFAG) in Sierra Leone, West Africa. Follow-up data were collected in 2003/2004 and 2008. The sample includes former child soldiers and other war-affected youth. Read more about Longitudinal Study of War-Affected Youth